The official said that the Kristal casino in the center of the Russian capital had been shut down by the ministry's economic security department because it is was controlled by Georgian-born crime bosses.
"The investigation established that 84 gambling tables and 259 slot-machines in the casino were operating without proper documentation," he said.
The ministry's move came against the backdrop of tension between Russia and Georgia over alleged spying by Russian military officers stationed in the South Caucasus nation. Russian suspended transport and mail links with Georgia Monday. Several senior politicians have demanded economic sanctions and other measures against the south Caucasus country.
The source said the police had found a large amount of caviar during a search of auxiliary rooms and a kitchen at the casino, but the owners failed to provide proper documentation on its origin or quality certification.
On Monday, Vyacheslav Volodin, a deputy speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, said more than 300,000 Georgians worked in Russia.
"The Russian capital gives them the opportunity to work and resolve their living problems," he said. "And this is despite only 0.7% of them having the official registration documents required to work in Russia."
The Russian Federal Migration Service said Monday that 13 Georgian nationals had been detained and will be deported from Moscow for violating immigration rules.
